Electric switch.



No. 784,022. PATENTED MAR. '7, 1905. C. 15.vv ASKBW.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION .'t-LED MAY 11, 1904.

2 SHEET)B-BHEET A1 l i um; L lll l t naminmiiw um!!! mw No. 784,022. PATENTED MAR. 7, 1905.

' G. B. ASKEW.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

ZfcIILe e5: Wem?? UNITED STATES Patented Maren '7, 1905.

I-IARLES B. ASKEI, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 784,022, dated March '7, 1905.

To (1J/Z wil/0m, t nur/y cm2/cern..-

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. AsKEw, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches; and I hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

-My invention relates to electric switches adapted to automatically open and close one or more electric circuits, and has Vfor one of its salient objects to provide, in a switch of the character described, advantageous means 'for positively and accurately timing the operation of the switch.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a timing device for a switch of the character described as will be unaffected in operation by changes in atmospheric conditions, by dust, or other adverse conditions of use of the device; and a further object of my invention is to provide a generally-improved, simple, and effective time-switch mechanism of the character indicated.

Other and 'further objects will also become apparent upon a consideration of the following description and the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein I have illustrated an operative embodiment of my invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a complete double-throw electric time-switch. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section, Aand Figs. 4 and 5 are sections taken, respectively, on lines 4 4 and 5 5 of Fig. l.

Throughout the drawings like numerals of reference refer always to like parts.

Referring now to the drawings, l0 indicates a base-plate, preferably of slate or other insulating material, ll ll indicate feet supporting said plate, and l2 12 indicate two upright bearing-brackets or standards mounted on the plate 10. These parts constitute a convenient frame for the machine, 'for which, however, any other suitable frame structure might be substituted.

Mounted in bearings in the standards 12 is arock-shaft 13, having rigidly affixed thereto a lever element extending on both sides Application filed May 1l, 1904. Serial No. 207.349.

thereof and on opposite sides of the shaft operatively associated with the moving elements of two electromagnetic actuating devices. In the present construction the lever element comprises a wheel 14 peripherally grooved to receive a cable 15 whose opposite ends are connected to the cores 17 and I7 of two solenoids 16 and I6@ respectively, said solenoids being preferably suspended below the base-plate 10 of the frame. Associated with the wheel 14 for movement therewith is an oscillating member of the timing device comprising an elongated runway IS, preferably closed throughout and supported on a hub I9, loosely mounted on the shaft 13. In the present instance the runway has a lostmotion connection with the wheel 14 through two pins 20 and 20', projecting from the face of the wheel 14, beneath the casing IS, so that the angular throw of the runway is greater than that of the wheel. It'will be apparent, however, that as the oscillating runway is primarily actuated by the solenoids the wheel might beomitted and direct connection made between the runway and the solenoids.

2l indicates a counterbalance weight mounted on a stem 22, secured to and pro jecting upward at right angles from the eenter of the runway IS for a purpose to be described.

23 indicates a gravity-movable part, prel erably a ball, of conducting material, inclosr-d in the runway-casing le; and which as the casing is deflected in either direction from a horizontal position rolls to the lower end ol' the runway and coacts with two relatively stationary electrical contact members to close a circuit therethrough. As best shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the contact members 24 and are preferably arranged in the bottom of the casing and project longitudinally thereof a suitable distance in parallel relation to form, in effect, a track upon which the ball 23 may roll, thereby insuring perfect elecn trical contact of said ball with both of the contact members, In the electrical connection of the parts the contact members at the left end of the runway are included in normally open circuit with the right solenoid IOO leaving its contact-points is obviated.

16 and the corresponding contact members at the right end ol the runway included in normally open circuit with the lelt solenoid 16 of the device. Such connections l have diagrammatieally illustrated in Fig. 1, where A represents a local battery, 'from one terminal whereof extends a wire a, including in circuit therein the solenoid 16 and terminating in one of the contact members at the right end of the runway 18 and from whose opposite terminal extends a wire l), directly connected to the complementary contactpoints at the right end of said runway. A like connection is made Jfrom said battery by wire al, through the solenoid 16, to a contact-point at the left end of the runway and by wire l/ direct from the other terminal ol the battery to the complementary contactpoint at said le'lit end of the runway. lt will be apparent now that when the parts are in the position shown in Fig. l-that is to say, with the left end of the runway depressed-a circuit will be closed by the circuit-closing ball 23 through a path as follows: from battery A through the solenoid 16, by wire a to one ol the contact members 24 or 25,through the ball. 23 to the other Contact member, and back to the battery by the wire b. Consequently the solenoid 16 being energized the core 17 is attracted thereinto and the wheel 14 oscillated through a corresponding arc. During this movement the connecting-pin 26 serves to lift the left end of the runway 1S until thelatter passes dead-center, or an exactlyhorizontal position, when the weight of the counterbalance 21 throws the said runway to the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l-that is to say, with its right end depressed. lt will be apparent that as the connection energizing the`solenoid 16, established through the ball 23 and the contact members at the left end of the runway will not be broken until after the runway has passed a horizontal position, and as the counterweight 21 will then have moved past its central position and will positively lorce the runway to complete its throw to dotted-line position the possibility of the runway returning to a lull-line position, which it has just lelt, as soon as the circuit el the solenoid 16 is brokenv by the ball 2.3 Ol viously now when the runway is so tilted that its right end is depressed the ball 23 rolls to its said right end and there closes the circuit through ttiie solenoid 16, whereupon. the operation of the device is reversed and j the parts restored to their initial position. (Indicated in full lines in Fig. l of the drawl ings.) It will be apparent that the frequency ol operation will depend upon the length ol. I time consumed by the relatively movable l circuit-closing member 23 in its traverse oi: 1 the runway, and this time movement may be controlled in various ways. l have herein shown and prefer to employ as a means lior regulating the speed ol the ball a series olE impediments in the path olt the ball. To this end l prelcr to successively dellect portions ol the runway in opposite directions to make a tortuous passage in the traverse ol which the direction ol motion ol' the ball must be a number olz times reversed and its progress thereby temporarily checked. lt will be apparent, however, that other forms of impediments lor checking the balls traverse might be introduced into the runway or that the entire casing might be lilled with a liquid which would serve as such impediment to the traverse/ol the ball. Should the liquid be used, the time movement in the. operation of the device might be readily varied by varying the viscosity ol the liquid.

Associated with the parts described are provided switch or circuit-closing elements for the main circuit, arranged to be actuated by the solenoids 16 and 16/. ln the present illustrative embodiment the switch einployed is a double-throw snap-switch, the construction whereof l will now describe.

26 indicates a switch-arm loosely mounted on the shaft 13 and extending on both sides thereol".

27 27 indicate knil'e switch-blades mounted on or lormed integrally with the s\\\'itch-arm 26 and adapted to coact with the stationary switch members 2S and 2S, mounted on suitable brackets 29 29, secured to the baseplate 10.

A three-wire circuit may be connected to the switch by connecting the connnon wire ol the two branches ol the circuit to a binding-post 26a, mounted on one oli the standards 12 and connecting the other two wires, respectively, to the binding-posts 2Q and 25)'J ol: the brackets 29 and 20.

The movable switch-arm 26 is provided with a vertically-projecting linger' 30, provided with a forwardly-projecting pin 31, and the latter is connected by a compressionspring 32 with the pin 33, carried by a der pending linger 34, rigidly keyed or otherwise secured to the sha'lt 123. 'lhe linger' '-lV is so positionedv that during the oscillation olI the shaft 13 due to the operation olI the opposing solenoids it swings through equal arcs upon opposite sides olt a vertical line, while the movement olE the switch-arm 26 is so limited by suitable stop-pins 135 and 3.7, carried lor convenience by the standards 2) and 2W, that the angular movement of the linger il() of the switch-arm on either side of a vertical. line is less than the angular movement oll the said linger 3-1, carried by the shalt. .l t will be apparent, therel'ne, that when the parts are moved in the position. shown in lull lines in Fig. 1 to the position indicated in dotted lilies in Fig. 1, under the inlluence olI the solenoid 16', the pin 33, to which the lower end of the spring 32 is connected, is moved to the lOO lIO

position shown in dotted lines, thereby carrying the tension-line of the spring over to the right side of the line of centers of the switch-arm linger 30 and the shaft 13. The switch-arm 26 will accordingly be snapped sharply from its position of engagement with the right-hand stationary switch member 2S to position of engagement with the left stationary switch member 28, such movement taking place before the ball has completed its traverse to reverse the solenoid connections. The subsequent reversal of the solenoid .connections by the timed circuitcloser, causing a restoration of the runway to lull-line position, will of course be lollowed by a concomitant, but opposite, reversal of the switch-arm 26, and the alternations thereafter continue indelinitely at regular intervals.

lt will be apparent that as the movable tilningelement is completely inclosed and gravity-impelled there is nothing about the timing mechanism to get out of order from exposure to the weather and that wear will have little or no e'lliect on its operation.

Vhile l have herein described with some particularity one specific form ol snap-switch which l prefer to employ to obtain quick action on both make and break of the main circuit, l do not desire to be understood as limiting the use of the timing device to this particular switch, as it will be apparent that certain features of my invention herein described might be used in conjunction with any 'form of switch mechanically susceptible of connection for operation with the timing element. lt will further be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous variations in the mechanical embodiment of my invention might be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Having thus described my Anvention, what l claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. ln an automatic switch, an oscillating switch-arm, means for oscillating said arm including electromagnetic devices arranged to move the arm in opposite directions, circuits for the electromagnetic devices, and a timing switch device for said circuit operatively associated with the electromagnetic devices 'for actuation thereby, said timing switch device being arranged to effect the circuit o'l one of the electromagnetic devices to energize the same when actuated by the other electromagnetic device and timed to operate subsequently to the operation of the oscillating switch-arm.

2. In an automatic switch, an oscillating switch-arm, means for oscillating said arm including two solenoids arranged to move the arm in opposite directions, normally open circuits including said solenoids, and a timing circuit-closer for said circuits arranged to alternately close the circuit through the solenoids subsequently to the operation of the oscillating switch-arm.

3. In an automatic switch, an oscillating switch-arm, means 'for oscillating said arm including solenoids arranged to move the arm in opposite directions, normally open circuits including said solenoids, and means for closing the circuit through either solenoid at a predetermined interval after the closing of the switch under the influence of the other solenoid.

4L. ln an automatic switch, an oscillating switch-arm, means for oscillating said arm including two solenoids arranged to move the arm in opposite directions, normally open circuits including said solenoids, and a gravity circuit-closer arranged to close the circuit through each solenoid at a predetermined time aliter the movement of the switch-arm under the in'l'luence of the opposite solenoid.

5. A timing device Vfor automatic switches, comprising an oscillating member, an electromagnetic device for moving said member in one direction, means for moving said member in the opposite direction, circuitclosing devices carried by said oscillating member, including relatively stationary contact parts, and a contact part movable in accordance with the movement of the oscillating member into or out of position of coperation with the relatively stationary parts, a source of electrical supply, and circuit con.- nections including said source of supply, the electromagnet and the relatively, stationary contact parts.

6. A timing device for automatic switches, comprising an oscillating member, two electromagnetic devices for moving said member in opposite directions, circuit-closing devices carried by the oscillating member including relatively stationary contact parts, and a contact part movable in accordance with the movement of the oscillating member to contact-closing position with reference to either of the relatively stationary contact parts,and circuit connections from the electromagnets each to one of the opposing relatively stationary contact parts.

7. In a timing device for automatic switches, comprising an oscillating runway, electromagnetic instrumentalities for oscillating said runway, circuit-closing means carried by said runway including relatively stationary parts near each end of the runway, and a part movable toward and from said relatively stationary parts consistently with the oscillating runway, to close or open circuit through the corresponding stationary parts, a source of electrical supply and circuit connections including said source ol supply, the electromagnetic instrumentalities, and the relatively stationary contact parts.

S. ln a timing device for electric switches, an oscillating runway, two electromagnetic lOO IIS

lmeent each end thereof, the contact members adjacent each end of the runway being arranged in circuit with the electromagnetic device instrumental in elevating the said end oll the runway, and a circuit-closing instrumentality consisting el a ball mounted to roll in said runway.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own l alhxmyslgnature1n presence ot two witnesses.

CHARLES B. ASKICV.

In presence of- Foninc BMX, MARY F. ALLnN. 

